Bruins sign Benoit Pouliot to one-year $1.1 million deal, say bye to Ryder

Before the free agent frenzy began Peter Chiarelli warned that the Bruins would be quiet in a weak free agent pool but that didn’t stop them from making one signing. The Bruins brought in former Canadien Benoit Pouliot on a one-year $1.1 million deal. A former 4th overall pick, Pouliot has never evolved into his potential and has sputtered through six unremarkable seasons.

Pouliot has compiled 37 goals and 72 points through 183 games after being drafted 4th overall in 2005 by the Wild. Pouliot never played in more than 37 games in a single season in Minnesota and never scored more than five goals before moving on to Montreal and being labeled a massive disappointment. Pouliot improved in Montreal but hasn’t come anywhere close to living up to his draft stock. In his first full year in the NHL last year he scored 13 goals and had 30 points.

For many reasons he’s a perplexing signing. He’s most notable in the eyes of Bruins fans for taking a run at Adam McQuaid in Game 3 of the first round this postseason and one-punching David Krejci earlier in the year. He doesn’t fit the Bruins system either, playing a slimy type of game that the Bruins strive to be better than. He also could bring the team chemistry down as well after his incidents last postseason with the Bruins.

To me, the signing makes no sense. He doesn’t fit in and doesn’t really have a spot. The fourth line is set in stone, he won’t be the successor to Michael Ryder on the wing, and Jordan Caron is a third-liner in waiting in Providence. The move doesn’t address any of the Bruins immediate needs and is so short-term that it might not matter. Who knows, Pouliot could come into his own in Boston and surprise a lot of people but for now I detest this signing.

++

Just before the signing Michael Ryder signed with Dallas for two years at $3.5 million per year. I would have wanted to keep Ryder around for two years at $2-2.7 million but the wackiness of the market got Ryder a nice fat pay check. Can’t be mad at that. Ryder’s tenure will be given a pass for his heroism in the playoffs, most notably his glove save. For that reason the annual brawl between the Stars and Bruins should be a little awkward.